Curbed DC - AllLove where you live2018-11-17T11:40:34-05:00https://dc.curbed.com/rss/index.xml2018-11-17T11:40:34-05:002018-11-17T11:40:34-05:00Airbnb, short-term rental D.C. news
<img alt="Alyssa Nassner" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ol-GApz_s9WvQQJcUrpged8TNcQ=/417x0:3084x2000/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62348928/AirBnb_Opt2_Colorway1.0.0.jpg" />
<p id="gGwFY3">What you need to know about short-term rentals and the policies governing them in D.C.</p>
https://dc.curbed.com/2018/11/17/18100054/dc-airbnb-short-term-rentals-regulations-vrboAndrew Giambrone2018-11-17T11:32:42-05:002018-11-17T11:32:42-05:00Crystal City Amazon HQ2 news
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<p id="uoGXmB">Check out the latest on Amazon’s corporate expansion in Crystal City in Arlington County</p>
https://dc.curbed.com/2018/11/17/18100036/crystal-city-arlington-virginia-amazon-hq2-newsAndrew Giambrone2018-11-17T11:11:09-05:002018-11-17T11:11:09-05:00D.C. scooters and dockless bikes
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<p id="WhLosl">Stay up to date on dockless vehicles in the District and the rules governing them</p>
https://dc.curbed.com/2018/11/17/18100025/dc-scooters-dockless-bikes-transportation-mobility-ddotAndrew Giambrone2018-11-17T10:23:32-05:002018-11-17T10:23:32-05:00Scooter and bike companies say D.C.’s new rules for dockless vehicles are too restrictive
<img alt="A Bird scooter in downtown D.C." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/n3GXuuaCHdnTAyQ3m3bZnWuCfDA=/383x0:6510x4595/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62348637/GettyImages_980535700.0.jpg" />
<p>The companies criticize official limits on fleet sizes and scooter speeds</p> <p id="gxewgm">Mobility companies that deploy scooters and dockless bikes in the District are pushing back against new regulations for the vehicles that city transportation officials <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/11/9/18076394/dc-scooters-dockless-bikes-transportation-cycling-ddot">declared</a> last week. </p>
<p id="D0T6JX">Half of the companies say the rules, which are poised to come into effect in January, overly restrict growth for their D.C. fleets. Another half say they have concerns about the 10 mph speed limit for electric scooters in the regulations. Currently, six companies operate either scooters or dockless bikes in D.C.: Bird, Lyft, Lime, Spin, Skip, and Jump, an arm of Uber.</p>
<p id="hVXWkr">Operators could maintain up to 600 dockless vehicles each on city streets as a starting point next year. With regulators’ approval, they could also expand their fleets by 25 percent every three months. As of now, 400 vehicles per operator (whether scooters or bikes, or both) are permitted, under a <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/8/30/17799496/dc-dockless-bikes-scooters-pilot-program-transportation">pilot program</a> that the District has been running since September 2017.</p>
<p id="CiK1jI">But in a <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewGiambrone/status/1062071496586289152">letter</a> to Mayor Muriel Bowser dated Nov. 11, California-based scooter-share operator Bird said the proposed cap on dockless vehicles “eliminates any chance of this program being equitable, of solving issues related to transportation deserts in the city, and ultimately of getting more cars off the road.” Bird also asked Bowser to “consider intervening in” the District Department of Transportation’s (DDOT) implementation of the policies to ensure “fair and practical conditions” for scooters based on “convenience and accessibility.”</p>
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<p id="UVMVdo">The company added that DDOT “provided no guidance” for how it will decide whether an operator may grow its fleet after every quarter, and that the 10 mph restriction on scooter speeds could make D.C. roads more dangerous. “Vehicles traveling at significantly different speeds...could increase opportunity for collisions between cars, e-scooters, and bikes,” Bird said. “There is also no data to suggest that 10 mph is safer for e-scooter riders than 15 mph.”</p>
<p id="pYvlPr">In a statement, a spokeswoman for DDOT says the agency seeks to balance “the needs of users and the concerns of residents.” “From the very beginning of this program, we have tried to keep an open playing field in this emerging industry,” she points out. “The Bowser administration is committed to embracing technology that provides more transportation options that reduce the impact of emissions on our environment.” People have taken more than 940,000 rides on the scooters and bikes since the pilot program launched, per DDOT.</p>
<p id="ZWXeN1">In its <a href="https://ddot.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/ddot/page_content/attachments/Dockless%20Permit%20Application%20Instructions%20-%202019.pdf">instructions</a> for applying for 2019 dockless vehicle permits, the agency <a href="https://ddot.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/ddot/page_content/attachments/Dockless%20Permit%20Application%20Instructions%20-%202019.pdf">says</a> it “will reward reasonably good stewardship of public space, vehicle safety and maintenance, and adherence to data sharing conditions” in assessing whether operators may grow their fleets. </p>
<p id="OUvCtB">While scooter speeds would be capped at 10 mph, electric bike speeds would be capped at 20 mph. Additionally, DDOT is mandating that dockless vehicle operators deploy at least 100 vehicles throughout D.C.’s eight wards by 6 a.m. each day. The bikes must have self-locking capabilities, as Jump’s electric bikes do, and the operators must share data with regulators. Officials have said they want to make sure that the new technologies are safe and equitable.</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><aside id="A7sOyr"><q>“There is also no data to suggest that 10 mph is safer for e-scooter riders than 15 mph.”</q></aside></div>
<p id="NRwdIq">Not all operators say they disagree with how DDOT plans to control the number of dockless vehicles in D.C. Spin, which <a href="https://wtop.com/business-finance/2018/11/spin-scooters-hit-dc-streets-company-doesnt-like-speed-limits-either/">launched</a> scooters in the District on Thursday after it had <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/8/20/17761122/dc-dockless-bikes-scooters-transportation-spin-pilot">pulled</a> its bikes off the streets over the summer, says in a statement that it sees “no problems in having operators capped at 600 vehicles in D.C. while the city understands demand and usage in service areas.” But it says the 10 mph speed limit for scooters is “the wrong way” to address officials’ safety concerns about e-scooters and could deter riders from taking them.</p>
<p id="77rVwW">“While we are set up to comply, we hope the city reconsiders this piece of regulation so they don’t unintentionally limit usage of an environmentally-friendly transportation lifeline,” adds Spin, which is based in San Francisco. Skip, another San Francisco-based scooter firm, says it “supports DDOT’s measured and thoughtful approach to fleet size growth,” given its experience in other cities. “We do have some concerns, including the 10 mph speed limit, and are in the process of working with DDOT to address this issue,” Skip explains in a statement.</p>
<p id="gUe46N">California-based operator <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/11/10/electric-scooter-giant-lime-launches-global-recall-one-its-models-amid-fears-scooters-can-break-apart/">Lime</a>, which <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/8/31/17806012/dc-dockless-bikes-scooters-lime-pilot-program">pivoted</a> to scooters from bikes in D.C. in late August, is even <a href="https://twitter.com/sharrowsDC/status/1063157319012442113">asking</a> its riders to advocate for a higher dockless vehicle cap by writing to officials. “The proposed 600 vehicles are simply not enough to met the City’s transportation needs,” says Maggie Gendron, Lime’s director of strategic development, in a statement. “The most common feedback we hear from our D.C. rider community is the need for more scooters.”</p>
<p id="EyXpBL">Ride-hailing companies Lyft and Uber, which operate scooters and e-bikes, respectively, are also hoping for changes. Chris Dattaro, Lyft’s marketing manager for bikes and scooters, says his company is “working closely” with the District “to grow the size of our fleet to better meet the demand of D.C. residents who want to take city-friendly trips on two wheels.” And Uber spokesman Colin Tooze says more alternatives to cars are needed as D.C.’s population grows.</p>
<p id="2YCAH7">“A closer look at expanding e-bikes and scooter options would be a concrete demonstration of [Mayor Bowser’s] personal commitment to attract growth in a way that is good for the environment and can be shared by everyone in the District, regardless of where they live,” says Tooze. D.C. transit advocates have <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2018/07/30/dear-ddot-we-want-20000-dockless-bikes/">petitioned for</a> allowing 20,000 dockless vehicles.</p>
<p id="i03102"><em>This post has been updated with comment from DDOT</em>.</p>
https://dc.curbed.com/2018/11/17/18098426/dc-scooters-dockless-bikes-rules-cap-pushbackAndrew Giambrone2018-11-15T16:56:39-05:002018-11-15T16:56:39-05:00NoMa gets its first-ever park this Saturday
<img alt="Swampoodle Park at &lt;a class=&quot;ql-link&quot; href=&quot;https://www.google.com/maps/place/3rd+St+NE+%26+L+St+NE,+Washington,+DC+20002/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x89b7b8188b4cbc05:0x2740d273cffb015c?ved=2ahUKEwixiO2Er9feAhXCqlkKHflvCpIQ8gEwAHoECAAQAQ&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;3rd and L streets NE&lt;/a&gt;" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/vdA1UeF4wAxFhoN2BhGCKyFFFds=/304x0:5168x3648/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62338379/fullsizeoutput_5a.0.jpeg" />
<p>Say hello to Swampoodle Park. Yes, it’s dog-friendly</p> <p id="HoEvyu">D.C.’s booming <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/neighborhood/1942/noma">NoMa neighborhood</a> will open its inaugural park on Nov. 17. Located on an 8,000-square-foot plot at the corner of 3rd and L streets NE, <a href="https://www.nomaparks.org/third-and-l-street-park/">Swampoodle Park</a> will feature amenities for people and pups of all sorts, including a vertical climbing structure for children, dedicated space for dogs, and curved benches.</p>
<p id="RpYTfv">The park has been years in the making and is the result of a public-private partnership between the District and the NoMa Parks Foundation, an affiliate of the NoMa Business Improvement District (BID). In 2015, the foundation <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2015/10/23/9908150/noma-park-third-l-streets-ne">bought</a> the land from a private developer for $3.2 million, using money from a <a href="https://dcist.com/story/13/03/29/noma-parks-get-50-million-investmen/">$50 million city grant</a>. The park abuts the <a href="https://www.loreegranddc.com/">Loree Grande</a> development and will be maintained by the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation.</p>
<p id="4RHjOk">A jungle gym-like apparatus by Dutch design firm <a href="http://www.carve.nl/">Carve</a> dominates the space. It is the first such “<a href="http://www.carve.nl/en/item/129">wall-holla</a>” to be installed in a D.C. park, and the sixth to be placed in North America, according to the NoMa Parks Foundation. A turfed dog park lies behind the structure.</p>
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<p id="15PgnQ">The <a href="https://wamu.org/story/11/09/16/rediscovering_swampoodle/">“Swampoodle” moniker</a> comes from a little-known page of D.C. history. In the mid-1800s, the neighborhood’s then-predominantly working-class Irish residents gave it this nickname for the swampy and puddle-riddled ground that followed the frequent floods of nearby <a href="https://ggwash.org/view/12338/a-river-of-slime-runs-under-constitution-avenue">Tiber Creek</a>. (The creek has since disappeared.)</p>
<p id="88PEUi">The NoMa BID began a lengthy community-outreach process for the park in early 2016. BID President Robin-Eve Jasper, a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/robin-eve-jasper-taking-the-helm-in-noma/2011/09/23/gIQApFH2wK_story.html">former</a> District buildings official, says the feedback generated three “jobs,” or priority areas, for the space: dogs, kids, and relaxation. Then, the foundation <a href="http://bit.ly/25cpDya">presented three designs</a> by D.C.-based landscape architects <a href="http://www.leeandassociatesinc.com/">Lee and Associates</a> to residents.</p>
<p id="kxno8F">After the design was finalized, the BID <a href="http://bit.ly/2uY9wXP">solicited ideas for what to name</a> the park. “<a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2017/12/13/16771362/noma-park-swampoodle-name">Swampoodle” was unveiled</a> late last year. Jasper says the outreach included about 10,000 “touches” of input from community meetings, online polls, and mailers. “We are uniquely community-driven on this front,” she adds.</p>
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<p id="DXWHIm">Initially, the park planners had hoped to open Swampoodle <a href="http://bit.ly/2pwE0BP">by the end of 2017</a>. The date was <a href="http://bit.ly/2C9pV0B">pushed back to early 2018</a>, before being again delayed until this fall as the planners faced one hiccup after another. For one thing, the dog turf had to be <a href="https://twitter.com/NoMaParksDC/status/1058408437137186816">re-installed</a>. Jasper calls the original target date “aspirational,” adding that the planners and their contractor, <a href="https://twitter.com/blueskye_dc/status/962082676260982784">Blue Skye Construction</a>, underestimated aspects of the required construction work, from the phasing to the dog turf.</p>
<p id="hIBckv">Part of the reason a green space has not opened sooner in NoMa is that, years ago, a park was <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/print-edition/2010/11/26/lack-of-park-space-could-hold-back.html">left out of</a> the 358-acre blueprint for the neighborhood. Lawmakers aimed to rectify this oversight in 2013, when they budgeted the $50 million grant for the BID.</p>
<p id="iB9MNN">“Good things take time,” says Lindsay Zoeller, a board member of neighborhood group <a href="https://nomadogparks.com/">Friends of NoMa Dogs</a>, which had advocated for a formal dog park and will help maintain Swampoodle. “And delays always happen in construction.”</p>
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<p id="Ta5K3d">Other placemaking projects are also emerging in NoMa. A public art installation called “Rain” recently <a href="https://dcist.com/story/18/10/24/the-first-art-installation-at-the-n/">débuted</a> in an underpass on M Street NE, and a two-acre green space named <a href="https://dcist.com/story/18/08/29/nomas-huge-new-tanner-park/">Tanner Park</a> is under development. The latter will be adjacent to the Metropolitan Branch Trail near R Street NE and is scheduled to open by early 2020.</p>
<p id="AJtPPI">But now, more than a decade after development in the neighborhood took off with the opening of the NoMa–Gallaudet Metro station in 2004, NoMa will finally have a proper park. It is one of the <a href="https://ggwash.org/view/40500/noma-is-one-of-dcs-fastest-growing-neighborhoods">fastest-growing</a> neighborhoods in the District and is expected to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/express/wp/2016/01/08/navy-yard-on-track-to-be-d-c-s-most-densely-populated-neighborhood/">rival Navy Yard in density</a> when fully built out.</p>
<p id="IIHDUo">“I think this can be a little jewel,” Jasper said of Swampoodle at a 2016 community meeting.</p>
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<ul>
<li id="EV8Rui">
<a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2015/10/23/9908150/noma-park-third-l-streets-ne">Vacant Lot at 3rd &amp; L Streets NE to Become NoMa’s Next Park</a> [Curbed DC]</li>
<li id="A0WLmu">
<a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2017/12/13/16771362/noma-park-swampoodle-name">NoMa’s first park reveals new name</a> [Curbed DC]</li>
</ul>
https://dc.curbed.com/2018/11/15/18097488/noma-bid-swampoodle-park-dogs-recreation-developmentEdward Russell2018-11-15T16:00:00-05:002018-11-15T16:00:00-05:00Activists to commemorate pedestrians struck and killed by drivers in 2018
<img alt="Pedestrians on 13th Street NW" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/N6hZrlGF84MIEFITsKk7l36ofYo=/180x0:3060x2160/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62289907/GettyImages_960015416.0.jpg" />
<p>The group will hold a memorial walk on 13th Street NW on Thursday</p> <p id="jD9mW1">As the District <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/10/24/18019748/dc-vision-zero-traffic-deaths-safety-streets">reinvigorates</a> its Vision Zero initiative to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2024, a group of traffic-safety advocates will host a memorial walk downtown on Nov. 15, in memory of the 10 pedestrians whom drivers fatally struck on D.C. streets in 2018.</p>
<p id="x5lbbb">The group will <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/329813010934688/">meet</a> at 13th and K streets NW at 5:15 p.m. and proceed in silence down 13th Street to the Wilson Building, the seat of the D.C. government. The activists are demanding that officials “improve pedestrian infrastructure and enforce violations like blocking the box or crosswalks in the hopes of preventing future fatalities,” according to a release. A moment of silence will be held at the end of the walk and participants are encouraged to wear white.</p>
<p id="0BhEi3">There will also be civil disobedience: The activists will “block a crosswalk for 10 minutes and place one pair of empty shoes in the crosswalk for each person killed this year,” according to the office of Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen, who plans to participate in the walk.</p>
<p id="53gAOO">Drivers have killed pedestrians in five of the District’s eight wards this year, per data that the organizers of the walk compiled. <a href="https://planning.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/op/publication/attachments/WebsitePDF_New_24x36_WardMap5_100.pdf">Ward 5</a>, which covers much of Northeast, has experienced the most pedestrian deaths, with four since January. In addition to the 10 pedestrians struck and killed in 2018, two were struck in 2017 and perished this year as a result of their injuries.</p>
<aside id="BkD7vE"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"dc-curbed"}'></div></aside><p id="PuDGA0">So far in 2018, three cyclists and one <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/9/26/17905378/electric-scooter-death">e-scooter rider</a> have also died in crashes on the city’s roads. The activists <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/1iQboTDsdGzFsSCOlJGyJOOBTMT--4QYWYzC6tduLUoU/edit#gid=0">tracked</a> the crashes and the known victims’ names using police reports. They ranged in age from 19 to 84. September was the deadliest month, with three fatalities.</p>
<p id="LVPGnM">Overall, 31 people have died as a result of crashes in the District this year, including drivers and motorcyclists. That is more than the 30 people who died in all of 2017, and a roughly 7 percent increase over the 29 deaths recorded by this point last year, <a href="https://mpdc.dc.gov/page/traffic-fatalities">official numbers</a> show.</p>
<p id="BpVqck">Facing this uptick, Mayor Muriel Bowser’s administration recently proposed various traffic-safety improvements, such as <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/10/24/18019748/dc-vision-zero-traffic-deaths-safety-streets">banning</a> right turns on red at busy intersections, <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/10/26/18027020/dc-uber-lyft-deliveries-dropoff-pickup-zones">establishing</a> dedicated pick-up and drop-off zones for ride-hailing vehicles, and <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/11/5/18065202/dc-bike-lanes-mail-carriers-vision-zero">keeping</a> bike lanes clear.</p>
<p id="CYCsOc"><em>This post has been updated with information from Allen’s office.</em></p>
https://dc.curbed.com/2018/11/12/18088496/dc-traffic-crashes-fatalities-pedestrians-vision-zeroAndrew Giambrone2018-11-15T15:34:07-05:002018-11-15T15:34:07-05:00The 25 best things to do in Washington, D.C., with kids
<img alt="Visitors in the Main Hall of the National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/oANpNPpGLRSbQLl-v3SLcusqmdk=/222x0:3778x2667/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/55607871/shutterstock_488066176.1499434095.jpg" />
<p>Your guide to surviving parenthood in the nation’s capital</p> <p id="WWdo8w">With a plethora of attractions, easy-to-use transportation, and some of our country’s top <a href="https://www.curbed.com/2017/1/11/14231538/best-museums-architecture-america">museums</a>, Washington, D.C., should be on every family’s must-travel list. But determining which sites to see—and what to do when you get there—can be downright overwhelming. </p>
<p id="ssJEVG">If you’re looking for the top places in Washington, D.C., for families, we’ve got you covered with this handy map. From vintage carousels to artsy hot spots, D.C. offers something for everyone. We’ve catalogued the most important tourist sites on the National Mall as well as under-the-radar destinations that will have your kiddos pretending to be international spies or kayaking in the Potomac. </p>
<p id="58vXaF">Whether you’re a longtime local or a first-time visitor to our nation’s capitol, here are the 25 best things to do with kids. </p>
<p id="zFiUrx"><em>Traveling to other cities with your kiddos? Don’t miss Curbed’s maps of the best family activities in </em><a href="https://philly.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-philadelphia-kids"><em>Philadelphia</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://boston.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-boston-kids"><em>Boston</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://detroit.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-detroit-with-kids"><em>Detroit</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://atlanta.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-atlanta-kids"><em>Atlanta</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-chicago-kids"><em>Chicago</em></a><em>, </em><a href="http://miami.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-miami-kids"><em>Miami</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://la.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-kids-los-angeles"><em>Los Angeles</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://seattle.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-seattle-kids"><em>Seattle</em></a><em>, </em><a href="http://sf.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-san-francisco-kids"><em>San Francisco</em></a><em>, </em><a href="http://nola.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-orleans-kids"><em>New Orleans</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://austin.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-austin-kids"><em>Austin</em></a><em>, and </em><a href="https://ny.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-new-york-kids"><em>New York City</em></a><em>.</em></p>
https://dc.curbed.com/maps/things-to-do-washington-dc-kidsMichelle Goldchain2018-11-15T11:54:59-05:002018-11-15T11:54:59-05:00D.C. Council gives final approval to Airbnb regulations
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/qtq9FdBfAhvv6yZLzjKT96uWyIw=/417x0:3084x2000/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62336042/AirBnb_Opt3b_Colorway1.0.0.jpg" />
<p>Property owners won’t be able to use secondary homes for short-term rentals under the new rules</p> <p id="wRnwpe">D.C. residents who use Airbnb or similar booking services to rent out their homes will likely have to abide by new regulations starting next October, when they are set to go into effect. The policies represent the first time the city has charted comprehensive laws for short-term rental units—an effort that has sparked a <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/10/1/17923262/airbnb-dc-council-regulations-short-term-rentals">fierce debate</a> spanning roughly the past two years.</p>
<p id="l6ofpK">District lawmakers on Tuesday unanimously green-lit rules for short-term rentals, after they had <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/10/17/17989072/dc-airbnb-vrbo-short-term-rentals-delay">delayed</a> a final vote on the rules last month. The legislation bans property owners from renting out any homes other than their primary residences for fewer than 30 days at a time, commonly done through platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO. It also restricts to 90 the total number of days a year that a host may rent out their primary residence when they are away.</p>
<p id="SkgAI9">These provisions—along with new licensing requirements for short-term rental units—were included in the version of the bill that the D.C. Council preliminarily <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/10/2/17928946/airbnb-vrbo-dc-regulations-short-term-rentals">passed</a> in early October. (A Council committee <a href="http://chairmanmendelson.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/B22-92-Short-Term-Rentals-Regulation-Packet-1.pdf">estimates</a> that there are currently 9,000 short-term rentals in the city.)</p>
<p id="gOB4WX">But now the legislation also features a “<a href="http://lims.dccouncil.us/Download/37319/B22-0092-Amendment5.pdf">hardship exemption</a>” to the annual cap on so-called “vacation rentals” for hosts who can demonstrate that their jobs or family medical situations require them to leave the District for more than 90 days a year. Lawmakers who backed the exemption said it will provide flexibility to military members, diplomats, and other residents.</p>
<aside id="GPDKgA"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"dc-curbed"}'></div></aside><p id="YR8c4F"></p>
<p id="w2Ol58">The exemption was approved on a 9-4 vote, over objections by the bill’s main authors that it would make the law harder to enforce. “There’s a sympathy when you talk about when the host is deployed because of business or the host has a serious health condition, but I think this is a recipe for mischief,” said D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson. “This will be a giant loophole.” Under the bill, the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) would grant short-term rental licenses, track the units, and issue civil fines for illegal ones.</p>
<p id="T8euMv">Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen led the charge to include the exemption. He said the potential for abuse was low because homeowners seeking flexibility from the law would be required to submit notarizations from their employers or family medical providers to DCRA. (Self-employed homeowners would have to file signed affidavits.) If granted the exemption, homeowners could then host short-term rentals for however many days they must be gone.</p>
<p id="MOCMEZ">“[It’s] a big difference than just send[ing] an email saying ‘I’m out of town,’” Allen responded when asked by Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, who <a href="https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/housing-complex/blog/20851310/airbnb-pushes-back-against-proposed-dc-regulations">introduced</a> the original bill in January 2017, about self-employed residents. At-Large Councilmember Elissa Silverman said the exemption process had sufficient “guardrails” in place to render the amendment narrow.</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><aside id="Ykx4qO"><q>“This will be a giant loophole.”</q></aside></div>
<p id="DFPEyk">At Allen’s suggestion, the Council also tweaked the legislation to bar vacation-rental guests from using annual visitor-parking permits. Residents have <a href="https://www.nbcwashington.com/investigations/DC-Council-Members-Want-Action-on-Visitor-Parking-Permit-Abuse-485446981.html">complained</a> that the permits are being used for commercial activity instead of personal guests, thus taking up parking spots.</p>
<p id="dr6kk3">The measure now heads to Mayor Muriel Bowser for review. Bowser’s office has previously <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/10/1/17923262/airbnb-dc-council-regulations-short-term-rentals">said</a> she wants to ensure that in regulating short-term rental units, officials do not lock out residents from “emerging and profitable markets.” But the Council could override any veto.</p>
<p id="m3YmzF">Homeowners would be allowed to rent out entire properties as well as carriage houses and basement units under the new rules. Still, because the current zoning code prohibits short-term rentals in residential zones—at least on paper—the District’s Chief Financial Officer has <a href="http://lims.dccouncil.us/Download/37319/B22-0092-Revised-Fiscal-Impact-Statement---10-15-182.pdf">estimated</a> that the bill will cost more than $20 million a year in lost tax revenue. That guess is based on the assumption that the current zoning statutes would actually be enforced once the bill becomes law. The D.C. Zoning Commission has <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/dc-government-to-propose-zoning-changes-to-permit-airbnbs-in-residential-neighborhoods/2018/10/30/c2e160ae-dbbd-11e8-b3f0-62607289efee_story.html">said</a> it will update its code to align with the Council’s action and permit short-term rentals where they are banned as of today.</p>
<p id="X07vUm">In a highly technical maneuver, Mendelson, the Council chairman, has proposed funding the new regulations with future budget appropriations and projected excess tax revenue. They will not take effect until Oct. 1, 2019, the beginning of the next fiscal year. “This will provide time for District residents who currently operate short-term rentals to shift the propert[ies] to another use,” Mendelson said on Tuesday. He said he was hopeful about the zoning issue.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Rug-_vOXhEfVWqiVQFX4yC6XGcs=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/13445236/Screen_Shot_2018_11_15_at_11.11.35_AM.png">
<cite>D.C. government</cite>
<figcaption>The D.C. Chief Financial Officer’s fiscal analysis of the pending Airbnb regulations, issued on Oct. 15, 2018</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="EPUyFf">Short-term rental companies blasted the Council’s approval of the measure. In a statement, Airbnb called the vote “reckless,” saying it was “the latest example of the misleading tactics used to pass fiscally irresponsible home sharing policy.” “We remain committed to ensuring home sharing is protected in our nation’s capital,” the company said, mentioning the 6,500 hosts who use its platform in D.C. They will collectively lose $64 million a year, said Airbnb.</p>
<p id="8amM8L">Similarly, HomeAway, which is part of the same company as VRBO, said the bill “will harm thousands of local residents and small businesses as well as countless families looking to visit” D.C. “[We] will be exploring all of our options in light of today’s vote,” the firm noted.</p>
<p id="M1AoKf">But members of the “It’s Time D.C.” coalition, a group that supports tighter regulations on short-term rental units, hailed the news. Graylin Presbury, a coalition member who is also the president of the D.C. Federation of Civic Associations, called the bill a “common-sense ordinance that protects true home sharing, while cracking down on commercial investors buying up residential homes to rent on Airbnb.” The latter has led to higher rents, he said.</p>
<p id="lq8gD8">In the Council chambers on Tuesday, audience members from Unite Here Local 25, a hotel-workers union, clapped and cheered after the proposal was approved. John Boardman, the executive secretary-treasurer for the group, went up to the dais to shake Mendelson’s hand. The chairman obliged before politely shooing Boardman away and moving on to other bills.</p>
<ul>
<li id="uVQLtw">
<a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/10/1/17923262/airbnb-dc-council-regulations-short-term-rentals">As vote nears, coalitions war over proposed rules for short-term rentals in D.C.</a><strong> </strong>[Curbed DC]</li>
<li id="Jpebcx">
<a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/10/17/17989072/dc-airbnb-vrbo-short-term-rentals-delay">D.C. legislators delay final vote on Airbnb rules due to concerns about cost, zoning</a> [Curbed DC]</li>
<li id="EwaVA1">
<a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/10/2/17928946/airbnb-vrbo-dc-regulations-short-term-rentals">D.C. approves regulations on short-term rentals like those available through Airbnb</a> [Curbed DC]</li>
<li id="QEXykT">
<a href="https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/housing-complex/blog/20851310/airbnb-pushes-back-against-proposed-dc-regulations">Airbnb Pushes Back Against Proposed D.C. Regulations</a> [Washington City Paper]</li>
<li id="s8PitC">
<a href="https://www.nbcwashington.com/investigations/DC-Council-Members-Want-Action-on-Visitor-Parking-Permit-Abuse-485446981.html">DC Council Members Want Action on Visitor Parking Permit Abuse</a> [NBC4]</li>
<li id="topper-headline-wrapper">
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/dc-government-to-propose-zoning-changes-to-permit-airbnbs-in-residential-neighborhoods/2018/10/30/c2e160ae-dbbd-11e8-b3f0-62607289efee_story.html">D.C. government to propose zoning changes to permit Airbnbs in residential neighborhoods</a> [Washington Post]</li>
</ul>
https://dc.curbed.com/2018/11/15/18095658/dc-airbnb-regulations-short-term-rentals-councilAndrew Giambrone2018-11-14T15:21:17-05:002018-11-14T15:21:17-05:00‘National Landing’: Yes or no?
<img alt="A view of Crystal City in Arlington County, Virginia" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/lwUK1MLfHfVsgh9BakSA2uXTQok=/250x0:4250x3000/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62330245/GettyImages_1058672268.0.jpg" />
<p>Amazon, officials, and developers are using the name to refer to the area around Northern Virginia’s HQ2 site</p> <p id="A59Lys">When Amazon <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/11/13/18090566/dc-amazon-hq2-crystal-city-long-island">revealed</a> on Tuesday that it had settled on the <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/11/6/18067972/crystal-city-amazon-hq2-virginia-dc-bezos">Crystal City</a> neighborhood in Arlington County, Virginia, as one of the two spots where it will put new corporate offices, it also christened the Northern Virginia site as “National Landing,” a name few had heard of.</p>
<p id="h5sFaE">In its announcement, the Seattle-based company described National Landing as “an urban community...located less than [three] miles from downtown” D.C. Amazon touted the area’s access to three Metro stations, commuter rail, and Reagan National Airport in addition to its overall walkability and amenities—including hotels, restaurants, shopping, and green space.</p>
<p id="mxCv61">Many observers were befuddled. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s office provided some clarity in its own <a href="https://www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/all-releases/2018/november/headline-834007-en.html">release</a>, which noted that National Landing covers “portions of Pentagon City and Crystal City in Arlington County...and Potomac Yard in the City of Alexandria.” Amazon, his office added, is poised to launch its growth in the area’s Crystal City and Pentagon City parts.</p>
<aside id="6kOZaM"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"dc-curbed"}'></div></aside><p id="BJ1lJY"></p>
<p id="4j2xv9">It turns out that the National Landing moniker is the brainchild of Arlington and Alexandria officials and developers, the <em>Washington Business Journal</em> <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2018/11/13/did-amazon-just-change-crystal-city-to-national.html">reported</a>, not Amazon’s. Officials told the newspaper that they are not formally renaming any neighborhoods; they are simply unveiling a new brand. “It’s the umbrella term” for the area, an Arlington spokeswoman said.</p>
<p id="VBTeb4">National Landing is <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/commuting/noma-the-neighborhood-now-has-a-name-but-its-still-searching-for-its-identity/2011/09/22/gIQATY8uVL_story.html">hardly the first</a> new name for a particular piece of the D.C. region, and it likely will not be the last. It even has its own website now, <a href="http://NationalLanding.com">NationalLanding.com</a>, run by JBG Smith, a key developer. But is it fitting? Does it have a ring to it? Sound off in the comments.</p>
<div id="MzTRyC"><div data-anthem-component="poll:1957759"></div></div>
<p id="Qdqspd"></p>
<ul>
<li id="slrNB1">
<a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/11/13/18090566/dc-amazon-hq2-crystal-city-long-island">Amazon selects Virginia’s Crystal City as site of new corporate hub: what to know</a> [Curbed DC]</li>
<li id="DeDYKP">
<a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/11/6/18067972/crystal-city-amazon-hq2-virginia-dc-bezos">Five facts about Crystal City, where Amazon is putting part of HQ2</a> [Curbed DC]</li>
<li id="iBM9SF">
<a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2018/11/13/did-amazon-just-change-crystal-city-to-national.html">Did Amazon just change Crystal City to ‘National Landing’? Not quite. Here’s the story.</a> [Washington Business Journal]</li>
<li id="topper-headline-wrapper">
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/commuting/noma-the-neighborhood-now-has-a-name-but-its-still-searching-for-its-identity/2011/09/22/gIQATY8uVL_story.html">NoMa: The neighborhood now has a name, but it’s still searching for its identity</a> [Washington Post]</li>
</ul>
https://dc.curbed.com/2018/11/14/18095377/national-landing-amazon-hq2-crystal-city-bezosAndrew Giambrone2018-11-13T17:00:00-05:002018-11-13T17:00:00-05:00Amazon selects Virginia’s Crystal City as site of new corporate hub: what to know
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/lhtqVA2BPJoO5Pd-Dra_btFAScQ=/417x0:3084x2000/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62297447/download__1_.1542127748.jpeg" />
<p>The decision follows a months-long process, but questions about its ultimate impact remain</p> <p id="lsLPBI">It’s official: Amazon has chosen both Crystal City in Arlington County, Virginia, and Long Island City in Queens, New York, as the future homes of the corporate expansion that the Seattle-based tech giant labeled “HQ2” in a <a href="https://www.curbed.com/2018/9/28/17914542/amazon-jobs-hq2-economic-devleopment">national contest</a> that launched in September 2017 and led local governments to offer billions of dollars’ worth of incentives to Amazon.</p>
<p id="Aa2LGr">The company <a href="https://blog.aboutamazon.com/company-news/amazon-selects-new-york-city-and-northern-virginia-for-new-headquarters">announced</a> its decision in a release on Tuesday, after the <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-chooses-new-york-city-and-northern-virginia-for-additional-headquarters-1542075336"><em>Wall Street Journal</em></a> and the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/amazon-hq2-decision-amazon-splits-hq2-prize-between-crystal-city-and-new-york/2018/11/12/316d2a32-e2c9-11e8-8f5f-a55347f48762_story.html?utm_term=.c56ea8d4b062"><em>Washington Post</em></a> were the first to report it on Monday night, citing people “familiar with” the matter. The reports came on the heels of several <a href="https://www.curbed.com/2018/11/5/17111874/amazon-hq2-headquarters-winner-new-york-queens-crystal-city">news stories</a> last week that said Amazon would evenly split its promised “headquarters” between two localities. <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/11/6/18067972/crystal-city-amazon-hq2-virginia-dc-bezos">Crystal City</a> and <a href="https://ny.curbed.com/2018/11/6/18066802/amazon-hq2-new-york-long-island-city-finalist">Long Island City</a>—situated on the other side of the Potomac River from the District and the East River from Manhattan, respectively—were noted to be among Amazon’s final picks.</p>
<p id="AFstIN">The company said it opted for the two locations because of their “strong local and regional talent—particularly in software development and related fields.” “Economic incentives were one factor in our decision—but attracting top talent was the leading driver,” stated Amazon, whose founder and CEO Jeff Bezos owns a <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2017/1/12/14253490/bezos-jeff-museum-textile">mansion</a> in the District and the <em>Washington Post</em>.</p>
<p id="9oWwGR">HQ2 will help transform the D.C. region into more of a tech hub—including by <a href="https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/publications/amazon-effect/">encouraging</a> other firms to set up or invest in the area—according to the company, officials, and experts. Amazon says it will bring more than 25,000 jobs each to Virginia and New York and pour $5 billion into the overall project. In Virginia, the project will eventually operate across 4 million to 8 million square feet of space and create almost $3.2 billion in tax revenue over 20 years.</p>
<aside id="Oe6XwM"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"dc-curbed"}'></div></aside><p id="oK8FTv"></p>
<p id="9ueOV8">But the jurisdictions are also putting more than $2 billion in tax dollars toward the project, which will start hiring employees next year along with a new Amazon operations center in Nashville. The Commonwealth of Virginia and Arlington County have proposed economic carrots to Amazon that likely total about $800 million. They include infrastructure projects and “performance-based” incentives based on the number of jobs Amazon actually makes. </p>
<p id="GI4JAC">Virginia’s offerings to the company, which previously <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/04/technology/amazon-stock-price-1-trillion-value.html">reached</a> $1 trillion in value earlier this year, were not disclosed until Tuesday, despite <a href="https://wamu.org/story/18/01/17/found-d-c-s-bid-amazon-hq2-didnt/">records requests</a> by members of the public.</p>
<p id="SwSEy2">The job-creation incentives for the Crystal City site are projected to amount to $573 million, assuming that Amazon produces 25,000 “Phase I” jobs with an average wage of more than $150,000. The lion’s share of this amount would derive from a state-level “workforce cash grant” of up to $550 million, or about $22,000 for each job hired over the next 12 years. A <a href="https://d39w7f4ix9f5s9.cloudfront.net/a1/f2/85b7a8db41379e151054ff05e815/commonwealth-of-virginia-agreement.pdf">memorandum of understanding</a> between Amazon and Virginia sets a hard ceiling of $750 million for this grant if the company ultimately produces more than the initial 25,000 jobs.</p>
<p id="zsnlz9">The balance of the performance-based benefits is to come from a $23 million “cash grant” from Arlington County over 15 years. The county-level grant would derive from incremental growth above the projected tax revenue from Arlington’s “transient occupancy,” or lodging, tax, compared to a 2019 baseline. In a separate <a href="https://d39w7f4ix9f5s9.cloudfront.net/7a/73/afe9680c49f482e9b7e46ad497e6/arlington-county-agreement.pdf">memorandum of understanding</a>, the county says its offer is based on Amazon occupying—by 2024—a minimum of 6 million square feet.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/m-RyvzGMpk2Qk9ML40VeLTvZqgU=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/13437659/download.jpeg">
<cite>Amazon</cite>
<figcaption>A map showing the Crystal City site</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="Aazkmt">Moreover, Virginia says it will put $195 million toward infrastructure projects at the Crystal City site, to include improvements to the Crystal City and Potomac Yard Metro stations, a new pedestrian bridge between Reagan National Airport and the neighborhood, and other streetscape changes. Arlington County will also set aside an estimated $28 million from an existing <a href="https://www.citylab.com/solutions/2018/09/the-trouble-with-tif/569815/">tax increment financing</a> area to yet-uncertain infrastructure projects over 10 years.</p>
<p id="kbXw3G">That’s not all. The county says it “will assist Amazon in its efforts to obtain” local, state, and federal approvals required for a helipad that the company apparently wants in Crystal City.</p>
<p id="qQxOud">In a statement, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam hailed Amazon’s decision as “a big win for Virginia.” Northam added that the state “put together a proposal for Amazon that we believe represents a new model of economic development for the 21st century.” A <a href="https://www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/all-releases/2018/november/headline-834007-en.html">release</a> from his office notes that Virginia will also invest in computer-focused bachelor’s degree programs at public universities and community colleges, master’s degree programs at George Mason University and Virginia Tech, and K-through-12 tech education and internship programs.</p>
<p id="p0wvGZ">D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, whose jurisdictions ranked among the <a href="https://www.curbed.com/2018/1/18/16905196/amazon-headquarters-hq2-finalists">20 finalists</a> for HQ2, celebrated Amazon’s selection of Northern Virginia for one of two sites. Like Northam, they also used the word “win” to describe the decision’s impact on the region. Bowser said the D.C. area economy would further diversify thanks to Amazon.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HH_qeE3mc1g2F-NdwFPkvJnbWao=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/13438189/hero_1500900_hq2candidates.jpg">
<cite>Amazon</cite>
<figcaption>The 20 HQ2 finalists</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="yAwmZY">Although Crystal City and the D.C. region at large <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/their-eyes-are-on-dc-capital-area-said-to-have-good-shot-at-amazon-hq2/2018/01/20/27a92898-fd37-11e7-8f66-2df0b94bb98a_story.html">have been perceived</a> as favored places for the company for months, Tuesday’s announcement was the first time most observers heard of “<a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2018/11/13/did-amazon-just-change-crystal-city-to-national.html">National Landing</a>,” the name of the area in Northern Virginia where Amazon announced it would install one-half of HQ2. Branded by local officials and developers, the area includes components of Arlington’s Crystal City and Pentagon City and Alexandria’s Potomac Yard.</p>
<p id="VKO7M3">“We believe that Amazon will help accelerate the transformation underway in Virginia’s largest walkable downtown,” <a href="https://www.crystalcity.org/item/amazon-hq-announcement">noted</a> Tracy Gabriel, the head of the Crystal City Business Improvement District, in a statement. <a href="https://www.arlnow.com/2018/11/13/following-amazons-big-announcement-jbg-smith-sketches-out-plans-for-new-national-landing/">JBG Smith</a>, the biggest property owner in the area, controls more than 6 million square feet of office space there, per <a href="https://nationallanding.com/">a website</a> the firm runs. </p>
<p id="klQ7Mw">“As a result of Amazon’s selection of National Landing, JBG SMITH intends to accelerate the planning, entitlement, and development of several projects,” the Chevy Chase, Maryland-based real estate investment trust says on the website. Crystal City is directly adjacent to Reagan National Airport and is accessible through Metro and the Virginia Railway Express.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/y9tem1jhfdYYaiD5kwtXTBp-a2c=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/13438983/1.jpg">
<cite>JBG Smith/Business Wire</cite>
<figcaption>A map of JBG’s holdings in Crystal City and plans related to HQ2</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="meqH3D">What remains to be seen is how quickly Amazon fills its Crystal City offices—and how the resulting influx of new workers and their families affects housing prices, transit, and other quality-of-life measures in the region. Experts disagree about the extent to which HQ2 will pressure the housing market: The most concerned <a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/10/23/18015622/dc-amazon-hq2-urban-institute-housing-costs">point out</a> that the area already faces a unit-shortage; those who are unalarmed <a href="https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/publications/amazon-effect/">say</a> the region can absorb the anticipated growth.</p>
<p id="qenOqJ">Yet, it’s clear that home prices in and around Crystal City will probably increase in the short term, barring a burst of new residential development. Danielle Hale, the chief economist at <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516509&amp;xs=1&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2FRealtor.com" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Realtor.com</a>, says residents can expect to see a spike in prices in Northern Virginia as well as “a ripple effect throughout throughout the broader” D.C. region. Median prices in those places are now more than $600,000 and $622,000, respectively, according to the website.</p>
<p id="mTeEpj">“This win is welcome news for job seekers in the area, which is expecting below-average job growth of 1.9 percent compared to 2.4 percent nationally,” says Hale. “At the same time, the addition of 25,000 jobs will not overwhelm the region, which added over 50,000 jobs in the last year.” It was widely believed HQ2 would go in one place when Amazon began the search.</p>
<p id="pliJSp"><em>This post has been updated.</em></p>
<ul>
<li id="3wYorw">
<a href="https://www.curbed.com/2018/9/28/17914542/amazon-jobs-hq2-economic-devleopment">Amazon HQ2: Why some cities feel like winners, despite losing</a> [Curbed]</li>
<li id="TKCgXp">
<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-chooses-new-york-city-and-northern-virginia-for-additional-headquarters-1542075336">Amazon Picks New York City, Northern Virginia for Its HQ2 Locations</a><strong> </strong>[Wall Street Journal]</li>
<li id="topper-headline-wrapper">
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/amazon-hq2-decision-amazon-splits-hq2-prize-between-crystal-city-and-new-york/2018/11/12/316d2a32-e2c9-11e8-8f5f-a55347f48762_story.html?utm_term=.92c10b3208dd">Amazon HQ2 decision: Amazon splits prize between Crystal City and New York</a> [Washington Post]</li>
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<a href="https://www.curbed.com/2018/11/5/17111874/amazon-hq2-headquarters-winner-new-york-queens-crystal-city">Amazon HQ2 winner appears to be both New York and Crystal City, Virginia</a> [Curbed]</li>
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<a href="https://dc.curbed.com/2018/11/6/18067972/crystal-city-amazon-hq2-virginia-dc-bezos">Five facts about Crystal City, where Amazon is reportedly in talks to put HQ2</a> [Curbed DC]</li>
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<a href="https://ny.curbed.com/2018/11/6/18066802/amazon-hq2-new-york-long-island-city-finalist">Is Long Island City ready for Amazon’s HQ2?</a> [Curbed NY]</li>
</ul>
https://dc.curbed.com/2018/11/13/18090566/dc-amazon-hq2-crystal-city-long-islandAndrew Giambrone